


You are a call to motion

by Alecto



Series: I won't be home for the holidays [2]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Anal Sex, Fireworks, Fluff and Smut, M/M, Minor Mazaki Anzu | Tea Gardner/Mutou Yuugi, Minor Rebecca Hopkins | Rebecca Hawkins/Kaiba Mokuba, New Year's Eve, Oral Sex, Post-Canon, Switching
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-26
Updated: 2020-03-04
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:28:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22913260
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alecto/pseuds/Alecto
Summary: Jounouchi makes it to San Francisco with only hours to spare before midnight. He doesn't get to see much of the city, but Kaiba's place is pretty sweet. His bed, even better.
Relationships: Jounouchi Katsuya | Joey Wheeler/Kaiba Seto
Series: I won't be home for the holidays [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1598290
Comments: 34
Kudos: 158





	1. A verb in perfect view

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _When you move  
>  I can recall somethin' that's gone from me  
> When you move  
> Honey, I'm put in awe of somethin' so flawed and free_  
> \- "Movement" by Hozier

Los Angeles and San Francisco were about 615 kilometers apart. That was half the distance between Domino City and Sasebo, but it still took Jounouchi almost 9 hours of bus travel to reach the Golden Gate City. 

Even though she was skeptical about him taking the trip, Anzu offered to drive, which would have cut travel time by two to three hours. But Jounouchi was painfully aware of how much he'd already imposed on her and Yuugi for this visit. Beside, Yuugi and Anzu had New Year's plans: parties to go to and friends to see. 

Jounouchi managed the 50 American dollars he needed for the bus ride, so he went with that. Just because he'd decided to blow their plans out of the water with an impromptu trip to San Francisco didn't mean he had to drag them along for the ride.

For one, Jounouchi didn't know if Kaiba would welcome his unexpected visit.

It wasn't like he'd asked beforehand.

(He should have asked first.) 

Too late for second thoughts now! The bus was pulling into the station. 

Jounouchi sat up in his seat and stretched his arms over his head. His back popped loud enough that his seatmate, a college student at UCLA whom he managed several minutes of stilted conversation with at the beginning for the trip, gave him a sympathetic smile. The bus had more passengers than Jounouchi expected, but he'd come to learn there weren't many options for long-distance travel in the US unless you wanted to fly or owned a car. 

He hopped off the bus and sucked in a massive breath of fresh air. San Francisco wasn't that different from Los Angeles in terms of the weather. Maybe a little chillier. But he still recognized a row of Californian palm trees at the other end of the lot. He took in the surrounding skyscrapers, glossy buildings of silver and glass brightly lit against the night sky. 

He plugged the address, which Mokuba readily provided after exchanging several DMs, into his phone. As Mokuba indicated, the Kaibas lived only a twenty-minute walk from the station. Five minutes by Uber if Jounouchi wanted to waste the money. 

Either way, it was time to get moving. He had almost four hours before midnight struck. And if Kaiba turned him away at his door, Jounouchi would be back at the bus terminal soon enough.

-x-x-x-

The Kaibas lived in a modern, eight-story building—a new construction that was a far cry from the thirty-year-old building that housed Anzu and Yuugi’s apartment—located a stone's throw away from the Bay. The red building didn't look like much at first glance, but Yuugi and Anzu had schooled him on the insane real estate prices in major Californian cities. If the Kaibas lived here, it couldn't be cheap. 

Jounouchi double-checked the address: Unit 801. It figured they were the penthouse unit. 

Assaulted by a sudden wave of trepidation, Jounouchi paced the sidewalk outside, casting nervous glances at the building's entrance and the intercom. 

Did he make a mistake coming here?

Ever since they went their separate ways in Chicago last week, he and Kaiba continued to chat over LINE. Not all the time, but frequently enough that Jounouchi couldn't help but feel a little special. Sure, Kaiba could go radio silent for hours or even a day or two. But he rarely left Jounouchi on "read." That counted for something, right?

His phone chirped, and he nearly dropped it on the pavement.

_Mokuba_  
_You get lost or something?_

_Downstairs_

_Mokuba_  
_You gonna come up or what?_

_Thinking about it_

_Mokuba_  
_Don't be a chickenshit_

_Woah. When'd you learn to talk like that?_

_Mokuba_  
_C'mon I'll buzz you in_  
_I don't have all night_  
_Becky and I have plans_

Jounouchi approached the door, which buzzed on cue. He slipped into the swanky lobby with a raised ceiling, two elevators on the far wall, several rows of chrome mailboxes on another wall, and a long glass table with a fresh flower arrangement. Inside the elevator, he fiddled with his hair, sweeping it to the side, changing the parting, and fussing with his bangs. In the end, he decided "screw it" and left it in its usual messy state.

The elevator ground to a halt. Jounouchi exited into an empty hall, all cream-colored walls flanking one door with a plaque embossed with "801." Before he lost his nerves, he clenched his fist and knocked.

"Nii-sama, can you get that?" someone who Jounouchi belatedly realized was probably Mokuba hollered on the side of the door.

Kaiba responded, loud enough that Jounouchi could tell it was him but not enough to make out the exact words. 

Jounouchi's heart scaled the walls of his rib-cage to his throat. Kaiba threw open the front door, mouth parting to say something before snapping shut when he saw who was in the doorway. He stared at Jounouchi with eyes barely wide enough to indicate his surprise. 

Jounouchi, unsure of what to say or do, waved a limp hand in greeting. After another few heartbeats that felt like an eternity, he greeted softly, "Hey there."

Kaiba's eyes narrowed. He spun on his heels, but he didn't slam the door in Jounouchi's face. Instead, he shouted further into the house, "Mokuba!"

Said brother came running as soon as his name was called. "Surprise, Seto!" Then he dragged Kaiba out of the entryway and beckoned to Jounouchi. "Come in! Make yourself at home."

Jounouchi crossed the threshold and shut the door behind him. Taking note of the shoe cubby by the entryway, he slipped off his sneakers and left them by the door. The Kaiba brothers had moved further into the penthouse, conversing in hushed Japanese first before switching to English that ended with Mokuba rolling his eyes and Kaiba squeezing the bridge of his nose. 

Jounouchi followed them into the living room, past the massive kitchen with gleaming, steel appliances and white marble countertops. As Jounouchi craned his neck to stare at the tall concrete ceiling and the weird, abstract chandelier dangling over the center of the room, he realized the penthouse was two levels. A Christmas tree laden with lights and tinsel sat against the floor-to-ceiling windows with a view overlooking the Bay.

The hair on the back of his neck pricked. Then he realized why. The Kaibas had fallen quiet, each watching Jounouchi take in his surroundings.

"Cool place," he said after another few beats of silence, shoving his hands deep into his pockets.

Mokuba bound toward him, sweeping him into a tight hug. "It's so good to see you, Jounouchi. It's been forever!"

When Jounouchi pulled away, he was shocked he had to look up to meet Mokuba's gaze. "No kidding. You're a giant now, kid." 

While he had followed Mokuba's social media for years, seeing him in person was a different experience. Mokuba was as tall as his brother now. He didn't quite have his brother's cheekbones, but Jounouchi bet he'd broken more than his share of hearts since puberty. He glanced down at Mokuba's royal purple button-up and dark slacks, all tailored to fit him like a glove. The kid was pulling out all the stops to impress Rebecca. 

He ribbed Mokuba and asked with a smirk, "'Plans with Becky', huh?"

Mokuba flashed a cocky grin. "Exactly. So I'm afraid Nii-sama will have to entertain you tonight. He’s being antisocial and doesn't have any plans." Then he leaned in and stage-whispered, "I recommend the view from Seto's bedroom balcony. You can see the fireworks from there."

The brat had the gall to wink when he drew away.

"Mokuba!" Kaiba snapped. "Don't make plans on my behalf."

In response, Mokuba singsonged something in English that sent Kaiba sprinting across the room. Jounouchi jumped to the side and fell into one of the white couches to avoid getting taken down as well. 

Mokuba, the slippery brat, laughed and deftly dodged his older brother's swipe. Weaving behind the dining table, he retrieved a set of keys off the nearest counter and beat a swift retreat. 

"Later, Jounouchi! Have fun, you two!" 

The sound of his laughter and the door slamming shut rang through the penthouse. 

Kaiba froze at the edge of his living room, staring down the hallway to the front door. He stood so still that Jounouchi wondered if he was even breathing. When Kaiba turned and marched toward him, he sat up straighter but didn't rise from the couch. Kaiba stopped less than a meter away, crossing his arms over his chest.

"You should have messaged me first," Kaiba finally said, tone suspiciously even. At least he didn't sound mad. That was a good start. 

"Thought I'd surprise you. I mentioned the idea on LINE."

"Yes, 'toying with the idea' is one thing. Showing up on my doorsteps unannounced is another."

"Should I leave then?"

"Where would you go?"

"Back to the station, I guess. Catch the next bus back to LA." Jounouchi sighed. He had known this was a possible outcome from the start. 

Kaiba's eyes never left him as he climbed to his feet. When Jounouchi tried to move past, the other man unfurled his arms and stopped him by pressing one palm to his sternum. The touch sent electricity coursing down his spine.

"I'm not displeased to see you, Jounouchi. I would have appreciated a warning first. Mokuba doesn't need additional ammunition," Kaiba's voice was tight and pained. It reminded Jounouchi of how his mom sounded sometimes.

Jounouchi guffawed. "Serves yah right. Think of it as karma. Payback for being such a shithead when you were a teenager."

"What about you?" he challenged with an almost playful edge to his question. "I recall you saying you liked me well enough."

Emboldened, Jounouchi reached around and squeezed one of Kaiba's buttocks. "It got easier to deal with you when you were wearing those leather pants."

Kaiba's bangs brushed against his, barely grazing Jounouchi's forehead when he leaned in. They locked eyes. Jounouchi forced himself not to blink, to match Kaiba second for second in this impromptu staring contest. He wet his lips in anticipation when Kaiba's gaze flickered south. 

"Noted," Kaiba said, smirking as he stepped out of reach. Jounouchi's fingers grasped empty air, and he forced them back down at his side. "Can I offer you a drink?"

Jounouchi sucked in a deep breath. If Kaiba wasn't going to make the first move, Jounouchi wouldn't make it easy for him. And if Kaiba wasn't going to kick him out, they presumably had all night. 

"How about some grub?" Jounouchi's stomach grumbled. He shrugged his backpack off, letting it hit the rug without a care, and followed Kaiba into the kitchen. 

The bus had made a brief stop at a rest stop halfway between LA and SF, but it had little amenities to offer other than restrooms and a sad-looking Dunkin' with bland coffee and stale donuts. That and a whole lot of desert. After his last visit during that Orichalcos mess, Jounouchi couldn't believe he'd forgotten how much desert was out here.

Kaiba gestured wordlessly to the shiny, chrome refrigerator but kept moving straight for the wet bar. For someone as tall as him, he managed to walk without making a sound. Maybe it was the quality of the hardwood floors. Jounouchi stomped into the kitchen area and winced. Nope, that was all Kaiba.

Jounouchi threw open the fridge doors and took stock of its content. It was reasonably well-stocked with the basics like milk, eggs, and tubs of pre-washed salad greens for easy meal prep. The crispers were full of fresh fruits and vegetables. Beside the box with half a thin-crust pizza, there wasn't anything in the way of leftovers or anything else he could pop in the microwave for a quick fix. He eyed the pizza longingly, but someone, Mokuba, judging by the unfamiliar handwriting, had scrawled "Hands off! That means you, Jounouchi!" across the top of the box in bold, black lettering.

He turned away from the fridge and jumped, surprised to find Kaiba standing right behind him with a glass of clear liquid. Kaiba's ninja footsteps struck again.

"Uh, you got any ramen or something?" asked Jounouchi.

Kaiba's eyebrow vanished into his bangs. Really? His expression seemed to ask.

They scoured the pantry. No ramen, but Jounouchi discovered a package of soba noodles that was a month past its sell-by date. Still edible by his books. There had been a small bottle of dashi powder and green onions in the fridge. Given the holiday, Jounouchi knew exactly what to make.

After setting a saucer of water to boil, Jounouchi went searching for a knife. After pulling open his fourth drawer without any success, he shot Kaiba a wilting glare. "A little help?"

Kaiba spent the whole time that Jounouchi rummaged through the kitchen reclined, hip cocked lazily, against the island counter. He set down his drink with a soft clink and rounded the island until he hovered right at Jounouchi's side. "What are you looking for?"

"A knife and cutting board. Gotta chop these green onions," replied Jounouchi.

Wordlessly, Kaiba slung an arm over the small of his back and pulled open a drawer immediately to the right of Jounouchi's hip, revealing a bamboo rack cradling several chef's knives inside. The move brought him awfully close, sending Jounouchi's pulse skyrocketing. All he had to do was turn his head, and he could sink his teeth into the muscled cords of Kaiba's neck. Then Kaiba drew away, leaving him cold and bereft, but not before his palm grazed the crest of his hip. 

Jounouchi chewed on his lower lip. Okay, Kaiba was definitely toying with him now. Not that he minded. He wouldn't have made the trip otherwise.

Jounouchi made short work of the scallions, dumping half into the boiling water along with the dashi powder. Then he cracked open the soba package and extracted two bundles of dried noodles.

"You're making toshikoshi soba," Kaiba's quiet words cut through the silence.

"It is New Year's Eve," retorted Jounouchi. He looked away from the boiling broth long enough to grin at Kaiba.

"KFC. Christmas cake. Toshikoshi soba. You're very insistent on tradition," Kaiba mused, shuffling closer now that Jounouchi had put down the knife.

"It's not like that. I like familiar things. They’re comforting."

"I haven't had toshikoshi soba in several years," admitted Kaiba.

"Really? Not even with Mokuba?"

"Mokuba prefers to go out on New Years' Eve. Mostly restaurants when he visits for the holidays. Pretty sure he's going to a club tonight now that he's of legal age."

Jounouchi chuckled. "Yeah. That doesn't sound like your scene at all."

For all of Kaiba's dramatics and his penchant for being the center of attention, he never seemed partial to crowds. Always off to the side. Holding himself a cut above everyone else. Not unlike this penthouse now that Jounouchi thought about it.

Fingertips brushed across the back of his neck, weaving under his hair to explore the top knot of his vertebrae. He dropped the soba noodles into the boiling broth, swirling them by the ends poking out the saucer until they grew soggy and slid into the pot. Jounouchi did his best not to twist into the touch, though a large part of him was surprised by how tactile Kaiba had been so far.

Instead, he nudged Kaiba with his elbow and said, "Bowls and chopsticks."

Kaiba hummed and went to retrieve the requested utensils.

As they ate, seated cater-cornered at the glass dining table, they made conversation about Jounouchi's trip so far. Together, they laughed at all the things they found bewildering about American culture. Jounouchi was a generally open and friendly guy, but even the intense eye-contact and borderline interrogation for his life's story he was subjected to every time he passed through a checkout line had thrown him for a loop. According to Yuugi and Anzu, that was an LA-specific thing. Kaiba agreed, citing that the country was not a monolith.

Jounouchi melted into his seat, hands folded across his stomach full of noodles and broth. His feet bumped Kaiba's bare ankles poking out of his house slippers. Through his sock, he traced the knobby bone with his toes. Kaiba shot him a look that seemed to say "behave" before standing and clearing off the table. Jounouchi felt a little bereft when Kaiba moved into the kitchen but kept his mouth shut.

After casting a curious glance around the penthouse, it suddenly hit him what had been bugging him all night. The decor and furnishings were tasteful, the kind you'd expect to see in glossy magazine photos of the rich and fabulous. But that was it. There were no other traces of Kaiba's personality, and Kaiba had personality in spades.

It reminded Jounouchi of his former apartment in Sasebo, a temporary waypoint between two destinations. 

While Kaiba did the dishes, Jounouchi wandered around the living room. Discovering a little Blue-Eyes ornament on the Christmas tree brought a smile to his lips. Then he poked his head down a short hallway, taking note of the stairs leading up. There, he also found what must be Kaiba's study behind a set of sliding wood-panel doors and a full bathroom directly across the corridor. That meant the bedrooms must be on the second level. 

The mere thought of Kaiba's bedroom caused him to shiver. There'd be no chance they'd be interrupted now unless Mokuba came home early. If he even came back at all.

He turned and found Kaiba blocking the entrance back into the living room. 

Kaiba cocked his head to the side. "Finished snooping around?"

There was something about the way Kaiba watched him, smoldering and sharp-edged, with the light from behind throwing part of his face into shadow, which made Jounouchi's skin crawl in a delicious way. Already, he felt his patience start to fray. They may have all night, but one of them would need to cave eventually. Jounouchi wasn't quite ready to be the first to break, but he wasn't above throwing out a big, freaking neon-sign hint.

He jabbed a finger toward the bathroom door. "You mind if I shower? Feeling grimy after that bus ride."

"Help yourself, Jounouchi." Kaiba slinked out of the entryway with the barest hint of a smirk. 

-x-x-x-

Jounouchi took his sweet time under the water and tried not to psyche himself out. When he finally emerged from the shower, he was pink-skinned, freshly scrubbed, and smelled like honey and lavender. Between Mokuba and Rebecca, he wasn't sure who owned the shower gel. But he was sure it wasn't Kaiba's. The last time he'd been close enough to Kaiba to smell him, it was a woodier scent—like cedar. He still wore the same t-shirt and jeans because he left his bag and his change of clothes in the living room. 

But his dirty boxers? He stuffed it deep into his back pocket. He'd either get a fresh pair from his bag. Or not have to worry about it if Kaiba caught his drift.

Which he appeared to have.

The living room was dimmer, with only the soft golden light cast by an end table lamp to illuminate the cavernous room. Kaiba sat cross-legged on a couch with a tablet balanced on one knee. Two facts stood out to Jounouchi. One, Kaiba also appeared freshly showered. Two, he'd dressed down in a pair of sweatpants and a tight tee that had Jounouchi salivating. 

Kaiba looked up as soon as Jounouchi shuffled into the living room, whipping off the towel he was using to dry his hair. He arched an eyebrow in response to Jounouchi's poleaxed expression.

Checkmate. It seemed to say.

Jounouchi swallowed. "Two baths?" he asked.

"Yes, I have an en suite."

"Right, America." Jounouchi usually found the idea a bit excessive, but he guessed it had its uses. Like in this case. 

He crossed the room to reach his backpack, then proceeded to transfer his boxers into his bag. He doubted that escaped Kaiba's notice, but the man said nothing. Next, he walked over to the couch and plopped down in the space between Kaiba and the sofa arm. They weren't close enough to touch, but Jounouchi swore he could feel the body heat coming off Kaiba.

He kicked out his legs and sank into the cushions. "What now?" he asked.

"There's 30 minutes until midnight. You can watch the ball drop."

Jounouchi scrunched his brow in confusion. "Wait, didn't that already happen cuz of the time difference?"

"Yes, but they replay it for local time. We're the last timezone in the continental US. Some choose to celebrate at 9 PM if they want to go to bed early. Others ring in the New Year multiple times for every timezone."

"Wow, sounds exhausting."

"You have no idea."

"Sure, put it on!"

Kaiba fiddled with the remote for a moment. The TV mounted to the wall above the recessed fireplace was probably the largest Jounouchi had ever seen. Playing video games on it must be out of this world. Kaiba kept the volume relatively low, but Jounouchi didn't mind. He barely understood the rapid-fire English that the two hosts volleyed back and forth to each other. He watched two musical performances before he started to bore.

Besides him, Kaiba was silent save for the quiet click of his nails against the tablet's touchscreen. Jounouchi risked a glance and found a dense wall of English text. Gathering his courage, he leaned toward Kaiba until their shirt sleeves barely brushed together. When Kaiba didn't move away, Jounouchi dared to lay a palm over his thigh, pleased to feel the muscle tense under his hand.

"So where's the champagne and the whole nine yards?" he asked, purposely puffing the question across the shell of Kaiba's ear.

The tip of Kaiba's ears grew red. "Don't have any champagne," he grunted and flung down his tablet, leaving it precariously balanced on the edge of a cushion. But Kaiba paid it no further mind, focusing his attention solely on Jounouchi instead.

"That's too bad. Guess I'll find something else to do with my mouth at midnight." He dipped his hand into Kaiba's inseam, nudging a promising bulge with his knuckles.

He could practically hear the moment that Kaiba's control snapped. Score one for Jounouchi Katsuya, he thought as Kaiba bore down on him. Kaiba threaded a hand through his hair, using the leverage to tilt Jounouchi's head back. The motion would have been fluid and sinuous if not for the tremor in the other hand holding his neck. Then again, it could be the small shudder that the feel of Kaiba's lips wrung from him. Jounouchi looped his arms around Kaiba's waist, fisting his hands in the back of his t-shirt and pulling the hem loose from his waistband.

Seriously, what kind of weirdo tucked his t-shirt into sweatpants?

One second, Jounouchi was acquainting himself with the dips and curve of Kaiba's spine; the next, he was yanked 90 degrees to lie horizontally across the sofa's length, with Kaiba's knee wedged between his legs. Between Kaiba's mouth, his wandering hands, and the delicious weight draped on top, Jounouchi lost track of time. It could have been seconds, minutes, or hours since Kaiba first pinned him to the cushions. 

Something hit the hardwood floors with a metallic clatter. A muted crowd roared and chanted in the background, thumping almost in time with his heartbeat.

He snaked a hand up the front of Kaiba's shirt to press a palm to his sternum. The heart underneath fluttered in time with Jounouchi's racing pulse.

Crack!

Jounouchi jolted, dislodging Kaiba from his lap. "What?"

An explosion of light bloomed outside the penthouse windows, followed by a distant boom. Mokuba had said something about fireworks. He cast a glance back at the TV, where the crowds crooned Auld Lang Syne as one giant choir spanning Times Square. Pushing up into a seated position, he watched as more fireworks erupted over the Bay, filling the night sky with brilliant colors and shapes. Each boom echoed in his chest cavity, tremors rocking through his body. 

It was midnight.

Jounouchi got his midnight kiss.

Kaiba waited, kneeling between Jounouchi's legs and hands planted on his quivering thighs to keep them pried apart. Jounouchi straightened up, pressing their chests together and transferring his arms from Kaiba's waist to his neck. 

Licking his lips, he said, "Think it's time you showed me that view from your bedroom."


	2. A rite of movement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _So move me, baby  
>  Like you've nothin' left to prove  
> And nothin' to lose  
> Move me, baby_  
> \- "Movement" by Hozier

Kaiba's eyes darkened at Jounouchi's bold declaration. Hastily, he yanked Jounouchi to his feet and forward into a kiss that had his toes curling in the thick rug. They sidestepped Kaiba's tablet, now fallen on the floor, and stumbled toward the stairs. Kaiba's hands were everywhere: pinching his ass and nipples, shoving him up the stairs and against walls, and dipping under his waistband or his shirt. 

Jounouchi paused at the top of the stairs, unsure which way to go. 

"To your left," growled Kaiba, already bodily steering him with hands on his hips. 

Jounouchi shoved through the door and into the darkened room. A California King bed sat against one wall, parallel to the sliding glass doors that led out to a private balcony. The fireworks show continued outside, bathing the bedsheets with splashes of color like light refracted through water. 

He still couldn't believe he was standing here. In Kaiba's home. In his bedroom. 

The door slammed shut. A lock clicked into place. Kaiba pressed against his back, thrusting and sliding his arousal between his ass cheeks. 

He moaned, head spinning and knees buckling. "Fuck, Kaiba."

Blunt nails scratched and skated across Jounouchi's quivering abdominal muscles. He whined when they fell away. His chin dropped to his chest, as Kaiba's hand flicked open the button on his jeans and undid his fly. His cock sprang free, heavy and rock-hard. He watched, mesmerized, while Kaiba's long, tapered fingers started stroking him. Slowly at first, before picking up speed to wring a keening cry from his throat. 

"Oh, God, don't stop. Don't stop." He rubbed against Kaiba’s solid body at his back.

Kaiba growled and rocked forward in response, nearly pitching them into the bed before they caught their balance. A nose nuzzled Jounouchi's temple, urging him to slant his head and expose his neck. He couldn't do anything but obey as the grip on his cock tightened and sped up. He rolled his head back toward Kaiba's shoulder, pushing into Kaiba's hand with a wanton need. 

Kaiba's hot breath blew across his ear. "Tell me what you want."

Want?

He'd thought about that, daydreamed about what he wanted Kaiba to do since they parted ways in Chicago. He wanted to fuck Kaiba; to spread those sinful legs and bury himself balls deep. He wanted Kaiba to take him on his hands and knees, to fuck him mercilessly until he made a mess of the bedsheets. He needed to feel Kaiba's cock. Taste him. Fuck. Get fucked. 

Honestly, he wasn't too picky at this point. 

Even as Jounouchi lost himself, Kaiba never stopped touching him or teasing him by slithering that talented hand into his jeans to fondle his balls. 

"Well?" 

Jounouchi choked. "I dunno. Everything. I fucking want everything."

Kaiba chuckled. A dark and rich sound that sank heavy into Jounouchi's gut, fanning the flames of his lust. "That's not a real answer."

He craned his neck to get a better look at Kaiba's face and glare at him. But all he saw was darkness and the sharp edge of a predatory smile. 

His stomach swooped, and some of his MIA bravado returned despite the brain-melting lust swirling around them. "Cut a guy some slack. Yah offer me a buffet, and I'm gonna want the whole shebang."

Kaiba's hand stopped moving. Jounouchi squirmed in his grasp, desperate for more friction. Kaiba released him, then grabbed him by the shoulders and spun him about-face, and kissed him until his lungs screamed for oxygen. This time, Jounouchi gave as good as he got, plunging into those sweatpants to palm Kaiba's ass and bring their groins into contact. 

When Kaiba pulled away, he was panting and wild-eyed in those brief moments when the fireworks illuminated his face. "Why don't I offer my favorite fantasy as a starting point? That should narrow down the choices."

Kaiba was using too many syllables for the current situation, but the words "favorite fantasy" pierced through the fog like a lighthouse. It implied that Kaiba thought about him too; that he imagined more than one scenario that ended in sex between them. 

He nodded vigorously. Jounouchi was embarrassingly desperate to please. 

"Good. You mentioned a buffet," purred Kaiba, lifting a hand and pressing his thumb to the corner of Jounouchi’s mouth, gently applying pressure until his lips parted. 

Fuck. Jounouchi could take a hint. He could take a hint as clear as Kaiba broadcasting his stupid, attractive mug across every television screen in Domino. 

He sucked the thumb into his mouth, laving it with his tongue. Kaiba pushed in further, pressing his thumbpad into his tongue like he wanted to leave a thumbprint. Jounouchi drew the digit even deeper until his lips wrapped around its base. He sucked and hollowed his cheeks, watching as Kaiba's eyes nearly rolled back. 

When he popped Kaiba's thumb from his mouth, a strand of saliva stretched from the finger to his lips. Then he spoke, breaking it. "I'm gonna suck your brains out."

The declaration stunned Kaiba long enough for Jounouchi to spin the man and wrestle him onto the mattress. Falling to his knees, he grabbed Kaiba by the waist and yanked him to the edge of the bed. He fumbled with the drawstring, swearing when he couldn't undo the knot. 

"Fuck it," he growled and stretched the waistband to slide the pants past the broadest part of Kaiba's thighs. 

"Watch it!" 

A hand landed in his hair and tugged as a warning. Jounouchi ignored it, focusing on ripping the pants and underwear off Kaiba. "Dunno why you bothered with underwear," he grumbled. 

"I didn't want to assume, unlike a certain someone who can't get out of his pants fast enough that he decided to go commando."

"Hey, are you calling me easy?"

"If the shoe fits."

"Fuck you. I'll show you easy."

Kaiba actually swore when Jounouchi swallowed the head of his cock. Through his bangs, Jounouchi watched with satisfaction as Kaiba started to unravel before his very eyes. It took him several minutes to figure out what Kaiba liked: where to run his tongue, how much teeth he could get away with. But he always knew when he'd done well by how Kaiba rocked forward and how he'd tug on Jounouchi's hair. His jaws soon began to ache, but he refused to stop until he had Kaiba screaming his name. 

"Jounouchi. Wait. Stop for one second," Kaiba moaned. 

He reluctantly pulled away. 

Kaiba stretched back over the length of the bed, cock bobbing between his ridiculously long legs, to rummage through a nightstand drawer. Then he slid back down the mattress and pressed a bottle into Jounouchi's hand. Jounouchi couldn't read the English label, but it could only be lube. 

His heart pounded in his ears. "You want me to use it on you?"

"No, I want you to drink it," Kaiba snapped, but the warble in his voice gave away his impatience. "What do you think, deadbeat?" 

He pinched Kaiba's inner thigh. "Hey, hey, no need to get snappy. I just assumed it'd be the other way around. Never imagine you'd be willing to bottom."

"Jounouchi, I don't ascribe to roles," he hissed. "I do whatever I feel like. That may be something else in another few hours. Or in a few seconds if you don't stop yapping."

Jounouchi laughed. The anxious knots in his stomach dissolved. That was pure Kaiba through and through: someone who defied categorization or even logic sometimes. 

Kaiba flopped back onto the mattress, pushing up on his elbows to watch. His chest expanded and contracted with deep, shuddering breaths as Jounouchi squeezed lube onto his fingers, rubbing them together to warm the gel. Then their eyes locked, the air between them electric. Jounouchi scooted closer to the edge of the bed, situating himself between Kaiba's legs again. He ran a slick finger between Kaiba's balls, down the perineum until he reached Kaiba's twitching asshole. 

"Jounouchi..."

He decided he liked the sound of his name like that—rasped out in Kaiba's deep voice. He rewarded the sound with a hard suck on Kaiba's inner thigh, then a lick behind the scrotum. Kaiba moaned, and Jounouchi couldn't think of anything that sounded better. He capped the bottle and tossed it back onto the bed. 

With a trembling hand, he smeared lube across Kaiba's hole, causing the man to shudder with each stroke. He took Kaiba's cock into his mouth again. Their new angle meant he couldn't swallow as much of the shaft as before, but he sucked at the glans when he finally slid a finger into Kaiba. 

Slowly, he worked Kaiba open, adding another finger each time he demanded more. Jounouchi was beyond rock-hard listening to the symphony of sounds he wrung from Kaiba. He was sure Kaiba was close. All he had to do was find that bundle of nerves and absolutely wreck him. 

Kaiba arched off the bed, trying to bury himself in Jounouchi's mouth when he climaxed. His ass twitching and squeezing around Jounouchi's fingers as he continued to rub the prostate. Jounouchi swallowed the bitter come without complaint, eyes glued to the ecstasy playing across Kaiba's face. 

Kaiba laid still, chest rising and falling with each frantic gulp of air. "Come here," he commanded, though only half as haughty as usual. 

With the biggest grin, Jounouchi climbed into bed and crawled over Kaiba. He seized Kaiba's mouth and pushed his tongue inside, letting Kaiba taste himself. Kaiba groaned and melted into the mattress, drawing him close like he wanted to devour him in return. They tangled their tongues and limbs together until Jounouchi's lungs screamed for air. He didn't want to tear himself away, especially after the guttural sound Kaiba made deep in his throat.

Grabbing the collar of Kaiba's t-shirt, he pulled it to the side and latched his mouth to the pale neck. Even as a teenager, he used to dream about marking him up like this. Give him an actual reason to wear those stupid turtlenecks. Panting, he sucked and bit every centimeter of skin he could reach as he slipped his hands under Kaiba's shirt. Kaiba sank his fingers into Jounouchi's shoulders, squeezing and kneading. 

Sternum, belly, waist, thighs—Jounouchi helped himself to the miles and miles of warm, naked skin at his fingertips. God, who knew Kaiba was so sensitive? Just the sounds he made could probably make Jounouchi come. Under him, Kaiba gasped and moaned, his half-hard cock twitched and smeared precum against Jounouchi's stomach.

Jounouchi was sure he'd never been more turned on in his life. "Fuck, Kaiba, I need to fuck you. Will you let me?" 

Kaiba's eyes blazed in the darkness. "Do it," he growled. 

Jounouchi quickly shed the rest of his clothes, dumping everything into a pile on the floor. Meanwhile, Kaiba flung his shirt into some far corner of the room before undoing his card locket necklace with more care and laying it gingerly on top of the nightstand.

Jounouchi grabbed for the lube, popped the cap, then froze. "Wait, you got condoms?" 

Kaiba sat up with a snarl and snatched the lube away from him. The contrast between the cool gel and Kaiba's fever-hot hand on his dick made Jounouchi's head swim. He didn't catch Kaiba's reply to his question at first. 

"Repeat that."

Kaiba breathed out of his nose, a sure sign his patience was running low. "I said I'm on PrEP. It's fine as long as you're clean."

"Yeah, clean. Haven't dated—slept with anyone in months." In fact, almost eight months since his last relationship fizzled out.

Quick as a viper, Kaiba grabbed his chin and dragged him forward for a biting kiss. "Now fuck me, Jounouchi."

Jounouchi didn't need a gold-engraved invitation, not when Kaiba spreading his legs and maneuvering him between them with an iron grip. He was so fucking hot and tight. Better than anything Jounouchi could have dreamed up for himself. All the little noises that Kaiba tried to swallow back but couldn't entirely. The way he squirmed and thrashed when Jounouchi finally filled him to the hilt. 

Jounouchi set an almost leisurely pace at first, sliding back until just the head breached Kaiba, then in again with one long, forceful thrust. When Kaiba wrapped his legs around his waist to encourage him to move faster, he countered by hooking both knees over his shoulders. 

"Damn it, Jounouchi!" Kaiba shot a withering glare, but it was undermined by the deep flush in his chest and cheeks—by the glassy look in his eyes. 

"Good things come to those who wait," he smirked, grinding his pelvis and tweaking pebbled nipples as he bent forward.

"Time is also money," Kaiba fired back, but he was clenching around Jounouchi like a vice grip.

In the end, Kaiba won with his demands, his not-quite-begging, and his fucking tight ass. Jounouchi snapped his hips back and forth to the rhythm of their racing breaths and frantic swearing. An elation thrummed through his veins. His heart rang in his ears like a firework's crackling roar, which he supposed was poetic and shit and fitting for the occasion. Kaiba had always been as explosive as gunpowder, as attention-grabbing as the pyrotechnics burning through the night sky. 

"Fuck, you feel so good." He buried his face in the crook of Kaiba's neck to suckle at his hammering pulse point. Then he hissed as Kaiba raked his blunt nails down his back. "Cool it, wouldya?"

Kaiba threaded one hand into the hair at the base and yanked, craning his neck so their eyes would meet. "Don't lie. You like it," he declared with a victorious smile, so similar to the expression he wore after winning a duel.

Kaiba snaked a hand between them to grasp his erect cock, pumping lazily. That picture and the way Kaiba tightened around him was what finally drove Jounouchi over the edge. With a final thrust, he pulled Kaiba close, covered Kaiba's hand with his own to stroke and tug, and kissed him desperately. Their moans mingled as Kaiba came for a second time, spurting warm come over both their stomachs. They collapsed in a tangle of sweaty but satisfied limbs. When Jounouchi finally extracted himself, Kaiba groaned and shuddered deliciously when he slid out. The sound was almost enough to have Jounouchi raring to go again. Instead, he flopped down on top of the sheets and wondered if his heart would ever stop galloping like a racehorse.

An elbow nudged his side. "Hmmm?" was all he could manage to articulate. Damn, Kaiba's bed was nice and soft. Was this what it'd feel like to sleep on a cloud?

"I'm going to get cleaned up."

"S'Fine. You go ahead," he murmured dazedly.

He swore he felt a hand caress the length of his spine before the bed dipped, and Kaiba's warmth next to him vanished. The last thing Jounouchi remembered before sleep claimed him was the sound of running water.

-x-x-x-

The first thing that Jounouchi became aware of when he woke up was his morning wood. The second thing was the overwhelming need to piss. Yay.

He breathed a beleaguered sigh through his nostrils before checking on his bed partner. Kaiba appeared asleep, back turned to Jounouchi with the sheets pulled up to cover his neck. Quietly, Jounouchi slipped out from under the same sheets, which Kaiba must have pulled over him when he unceremoniously fell asleep last night, and went in search of the en suite bathroom. It sat on the other side of a walk-in closet filled with neat rows of dark-colored clothing and suits in all shades. 

Thinking about his twenty-hour flight, squeezed between theoretical passengers with halitosis and infant children, calmed his hard-on long enough so he could relieve himself. 

When he returned to the bedroom via the walk-in closet, he caught a glimpse of the red scratches drawn down his back in the mirror. Arousal pulsed through him at the sight. 

Damn if Kaiba wasn't right last night—he did like that. Fucking hell. 

He returned to the bedroom with an erection even harder than the one he left with. Maybe he should head back to the bathroom and take care of it in the shower. As he hesitated by the edge of the bed and weighed his choices, Kaiba flopped over and peered up with very lucid and blue eyes.

"Uh, morning," Jounouchi squeaked and quickly crawled back into the bed, hoping he'd moved fast enough that Kaiba missed his raging hard-on.

Kaiba sat up. The sheets pooled in his lap, giving Jounouchi a mouth-watering view of the other man's body. It was still early yet, not quite dawn, but there was enough light to make out the pattern of darkening love bites on Kaiba's neck and the sculpted curves of his torso. When he crooked a finger, Jounouchi could only obey, sliding close to let Kaiba draw him to a steamy kiss that had him panting by the end. 

Despite that, Kaiba still seemed all too smug-pleased with the reaction. "Like what you see?"

"Yep," he responded shamelessly, then looping his arms around Kaiba's neck to return the favor.

Now they were both panting. Much better.

Eyes flashing, Kaiba pushed him back into the mattress and devoured his mouth. Pressed together, it was impossible to miss how Kaiba sported a problem similar to his, especially when he ground their erections together. Hell of a confidence boost, but he'd have to relish the fact some other time. Kaiba had little to say that morning, other than growls and brisk orders that ended with Jounouchi on his hands and knees as Kaiba spread him open with persistent and confident fingers that made him see stars.

Jounouchi did beg. Maybe not with words. He muffled the sounds in a pillow, thrusting back to meet Kaiba's hand and spreading his legs in a silent plea. A small puddle of precum had pooled under him by the time Kaiba finally entered him. Jounouchi clenched his fists in the sheets, struggling to breathe through the gut-punching fullness stretching him. 

Fuck. It was too much. It had been a while for him. 

The soothing caresses along his spine gradually pierced through the haziness. Kaiba wasn't moving, just wordlessly stroking his skin in reassurance.

Jounouchi lifted his head and softly breathed, "I'm good. I'm good."

The fingers on his back faltered as if to ask, "are you sure?"

He wiggled his ass, pushing back to pull Kaiba deeper inside. That seemed to get his message across. One arm looped around his waist while the other found one of his hands fisted in the sheets to interlock their fingers together. Jounouchi's heart skipped a beat. The small gesture of intimacy both out-of-place and fitting at the same time. Then Kaiba started moving, and Jounouchi forgot all that to focus on how good it felt to have Kaiba fuck him into the mattress.

His back stung from the sweat trickling into the scratches. Kaiba was hot as a furnace, but his weight was a welcomed anchor to the feelings threatening to sweep him away. Every thrust drove the air from Jounouchi's lungs, leaving him hopelessly light-headed and euphoric. Then the angle changed, and Kaiba found the spot that had him mindlessly moaning and his limbs quivering like jello. 

"You're close, aren't you? Even though I haven't touched you," Kaiba muttered harshly. 

Jounouchi replied with an unintelligible noise. His cock twitched at the very idea, balls drawing tight. He had never come untouched before, but there was a first time for everything. If anyone could make him, figures it'd be Kaiba.

"Up," commanded Kaiba. 

It was Jounouchi's only warning before the other man sat back on his heels and knees, forcing Jounouchi to follow. The arm around his waist kept him steady as he fell back and impaled himself fully on Kaiba's cock, causing him to shout to the heavens. He reached back and grabbed Kaiba's thigh to steady himself. Kaiba's other hand released Jounouchi's, trailed up the front of Jounouchi's torso, twisting his nipples before finding purchase around Jounouchi's collar. The grip wasn't enough to obstruct his breathing, but it was the sort of feeling that could drive him insane with lust.

"Please, Kaiba, I'm so close," he whined.

With each unerring thrust against his prostate, Jounouchi's cock bobbed angrily between his legs. Kaiba didn't seem inclined to help him with his problem, but every time Jounouchi released Kaiba's thigh to touch himself, he fell on the verge of losing his balance and disturbing the delicious rhythm of Kaiba's thrusts. It kept him on the edge of climax, and soon he was begging with words.

Perhaps deciding Jounouchi had finally suffered enough, the hand on his hip slid down his pelvis, barely grazing his cock to palm his heavy balls. Jounouchi groaned and swore. So close, but not close enough. Then Kaiba's hand traveled further south, and Jounouchi swore if he tried to stick a finger in his already stuffed hole, he'd deck the asshole. Instead, Kaiba settled a knuckle over his perineum, lightly rubbing circles and then pressed as he drove up again.

Jounouchi locked up, vision whitening and stars going supernova. He came with a shout, come splattering across his stomach and onto the sheets. Kaiba followed him over the edge, filling him with stuttering thrusts. After catching their breaths, Kaiba slowly lowered him onto his front. Jounouchi knew he was lying in a sticky mess, but his brain had checked out, and his limbs were out of commission for the near future. 

He bit back a whine when he felt Kaiba's semen trickle out of him. He felt wrecked. Better than good, but still destroyed.

"You are..." he trailed off. How the hell did Kaiba find the stamina to fuck him like that after getting fucked just hours ago? Not that he was complaining exactly. It was a hell of a way to ring in the new year.

"Incredible? Mind-blowing?" offered Kaiba, smug and self-satisfied.

He popped open one eye and craned his neck to scowl at the other man. "Full of yourself."

"Speak for yourself."

Jounouchi groaned and pulled a pillow over his head. Yeah, he walked right into that one.

The bed bounced as Kaiba laid down in the empty (and clean) spot next to him. A comfortable silence settled over them, and Jounouchi felt his eyelids grow heavy with fatigue again. One of these days, he'd get the hang of this stupid jetlag—probably when he was ready to fly back to Japan. 

"Go use the bathroom. You're making a mess."

"Shaddup. If you didn't want a mess, you shouldn't have fucked me that good," he mumbled, enjoying the dark haven under his pillow. "Let a guy enjoy the afterglow."

He felt Kaiba's body heat when the man rolled closer. He tried to suppress a shiver but failed. Kaiba said nothing as he caressed Jounouchi's lower back. The touch was gentle, soothing, and more patently Kaiba than Jounouchi would have admitted hours ago. As Jounouchi drifted off again, he thought he felt an arm wrap around his waist. Nah, that couldn't be. He must be dreaming.

-x-x-x-

The next time he woke up, with the sun peeking through the balcony windows facing the Bay, Jounouchi regretted not taking Kaiba's advice. Between the sweat and the semen, he felt uncomfortably sticky everywhere. Kaiba slept on unaware, face slack and hair mussed, while spooned against Jounouchi's back. The arm cradling him in a loose embrace hadn't been a dream after all. Jounouchi almost didn't want to get out of the bed. But as much as he enjoyed their current position, he had to face the day sooner or later, and he wasn't going to do it in his current disheveled state.

Carefully, he wiggled out of Kaiba's arms. As soon as he escaped, Kaiba latched onto his abandoned pillow. Jounouchi felt something tighten inside of his chest at the sight and quickly sought refuge in the bathroom. Kaiba was still sleeping when Jounouchi returned after a shower. Jounouchi dared to press a fingertip to Kaiba's cheek, biting back laughter when the sleeping man scowled without stirring.

Jounouchi slipped on his jeans and left the bedroom. Clambering down the stairs, he headed to the living room for a fresh shirt and boxers. He had his backpack open and started rummaging when he heard the distinct sound of a ceramic mug clicking against a counter. Shit. He looked frantically to the kitchen and was simultaneously horrified and relieved to find Rebecca Hopkins standing in the kitchen.

The two of them gaped at each other for almost a minute. Then Jounouchi remembered he was still bare-chested and quickly pulled on his shirt.

"Have a good night?" Rebecca asked mildly, but she cast long, knowing glances up and down Jounouchi's body.

He chose not to reply. But he knew the pained wince he made when he slid into one of the breakfast bar stools didn't help his case. "It's good to see you too, Rebecca."

She flashed him a smile, all pearly whites and straight-teeth. Like Shizuka and Mokuba, Rebecca had grown admirably over the years. She wasn't as tall as Mokuba, who took after his giant of a brother, but close to Jounouchi's height. She'd lost the baby fat but not the freckles. To this day, she still favored glasses over contact lenses. 

"Coffee?" she offered.

He nodded, and she poured him a mug from the pot. Without a word, she also passed him the sugar and a carton of half-and-half, which wasn't Jounouchi's preferred creamer, but he'd deal. While he fixed his coffee, she returned to her piles of paper spread across the island counter. There were paragraphs after paragraphs of tightly packed English text interrupted by the occasional table or bar chart or math equation. She flicked her highlighter back and forth against her fingers as her eyes flitted across the pages.

"It's New Year’s. Shouldn't you be relaxing or something?" he asked.

"I'm an academic, Jounouchi. Besides, I like reading in the morning. It's quiet." She glanced up from her papers and smirked. "Unless you wanna talk about you and Seto. Then I'm all ears."

There was something weird about hearing Kaiba's first name from her lips. Then again, Mokuba had also called him that last night. Maybe Kaiba went by “Seto” in America. Either way, Jounouchi would not risk it.

He brought his mug to his lips and said steadily, "Kaiba let me stay over."

"Uh-huh, in his room?"

Jounouchi said nothing in return even as she chuckled knowingly. Once he finished his coffee, he wasn't surprised to find himself starving. A glance at the nearest clock told him it was almost ten. Based on last night's survey, there were more than enough ingredients to scrounge up breakfast for the four of them. Rebecca hung back at first, as Jounouchi dug eggs and other things out of the fridge. She offered to make pancakes just as he began to consider their options for carbs. Together, they polished off the rest of the coffee pot, started brewing a new one, and set to cooking.

Because he found a tamagoyaki pan and a full bottle of mirin, he got to make egg rolls. Unsure if the Kaiba brothers preferred the sweet or savory kind, he made one of each. Rebecca finished the pancakes and bacon in record time with the help of a stand mixer and a fold-out griddle.

Mokuba was the first to emerge, wandering into the kitchen in a collegiate hoodie and khaki shorts to plant a kiss on Rebecca's forehead before heading straight for the coffeemaker. He barely batted an eye at Jounouchi, like it made perfect sense for him to be standing in the Kaibas' penthouse. Again, the reaction had Jounouchi feeling both relieved and awkward. Kaiba soon followed, hair dampened from another shower but otherwise fully dressed to face the day in a high-collared turtleneck and tailored slacks.

Jounouchi tried his best not to ogle when Kaiba breezed past with a brief squeeze on his shoulder. Judging by the look shared between Rebecca and Mokuba, Jounouchi failed.

At least the younger couple had the decency not to tease him over breakfast. Instead, they asked him about his state-side visit so far. Jounouchi repeated many of the same things he told Kaiba last night. Kaiba kept quiet, only answering direct questions. Despite the slight awkwardness underlying the morning-after meal, it was a pleasant meal.

Until Mokuba opened his big mouth. "Nii-sama, you should take Jounouchi around the city."

Jounouchi coughed and sputtered, almost choking on a bite of pancakes. 

"What for?" Kaiba asked plainly.

"You know, touristy stuff. The only time you'd do that stuff is when someone visits from out of town," butted in Rebecca like it was the most obvious thing in the world. 

Mokuba nodded. "Becky and I are meeting up with mutual friends. So you two old geezers will have to entertain each other."

"Hey, who you callin' old!" Jounouchi protested.

The young couple sent the rest of the meal tossing out suggestions of local landmarks and attractions. To Jounouchi’s surprise, Kaiba didn't shut them down, merely stoically listening without a hint of what he felt on his face. Still nerve-wracking for Jounouchi to watch, but at least the poker face was familiar. True to their word, Mokuba and Rebecca waltzed out of the penthouse arm-in-arm, leaving him and Kaiba to stew in silence. Once again, Kaiba cleaned, pointing out that Jounouchi had cooked yet again.

After everything was put away, Kaiba turned to him and asked, "What are your plans to return to Los Angeles?"

Jounouchi chewed on his lip. He could technically head back to LA whenever. Not like he had to buy a ticket that much in advance. Kaiba's question didn't seem to imply he wanted to kick him out, because he would have done that long before now. 

Jounouchi decided to test the waters. "I was planning to take the overnight back. Might as well squeeze in a few hours of sightseeing while I'm here. Don't you worry. I can manage on my own."

Kaiba narrowed his eyes. "You barely speak the language. I doubt you would have gotten this far without Mazaki's help."

Though true, Jounouchi still bristled at the implication. "Hey now—"

"Bring your things along. It's unclear if we'll have enough time to come back here to get them," Kaiba ordered as strolled toward the console table near the front door and pocketed a leather wallet and a set of keys.

Jounouchi had no choice but to follow along. Kaiba didn't give him much of one.

-x-x-x-

They spent the afternoon touring Fisherman's Wharf. Some of the stores were closed for New Year's Day, but enough were open for him to pick up souvenirs for Yuugi, Anzu, and other people back home. When they ate at a local restaurant, too late to be considered lunch but too early for dinner, they split the check. If Kaiba had even offered to pay, Jounouchi would have run away or died of embarrassment right there.

It wasn't a date. This wasn't a date.

But it sure as hell felt like one! Especially in those rare moments when Kaiba would initiate contact, usually a hand on his elbow to guide Jounouchi in a specific direction or to demand his attention. 

Kaiba stayed snarky, although he was nowhere as harsh as their teenage years. But he listened and paid attention to Jounouchi's ramblings and his attempts at casual conversation. Overall, Jounouchi see-sawed between relief and trepidation.

Jounouchi had fun, though. He hoped Kaiba felt the same, but at least he never said anything that indicated otherwise.

Eventually, they drifted away from the shops and the Wharf's tourist trappings to take stock of the local scenery. As they gazed out onto the Bay, Jounouchi couldn't help but think of Domino. Both cities sat on the coast, but that was where the resemblance ended. On the horizon sat an island with a whitewashed building atop green hills and rocky cliffs: Alcatraz Island, a now-defunct island prison. 

The irony was not lost on him. He didn't ask which was named first: this island prison or that island Kaiba blew into oblivion years ago.

"Hey, you ever think about going home?" He found himself asking instead.

Kaiba had lived abroad for years now. Not as long as Anzu had, but Jounouchi couldn't imagine how that felt. Anzu had moved for her dreams, and Yuugi followed her soon afterward. The couple was toying with the idea of moving back to Domino. Kaiba moved for Mokuba's education, and now the kid was going to graduate in May. Mokuba may not want to move back yet, especially if his relationship with Rebecca continued to blossom. But what of Kaiba? Did he miss Domino City after this many years away?

Kaiba replied matter-of-factly, "I go back every year. There are still some business matters that require my physical presence."

Hmm, not really an answer to Jounouchi's question. Then he thought back to the sterile penthouse, the warmth in Kaiba's eyes when he served up toshikoshi soba, and the sense of relief he seemed to extrude when they conversed in their native language. Now he was sure, more than ever, that Kaiba was more homesick than he would ever admit out loud. 

They'd found each other in a sea of strangers. Maybe Jounouchi reminded Kaiba of home. Perhaps that unexpected pang of familiarity was enough to soften the otherwise harsh front he usually favored. Would Kaiba miss him after he left, though?

Jounouchi gathered his courage before speaking. "Then, you should look me up next time you're in town."

Kaiba watched him stealthily out of the corner of his eyes. Jounouchi pretended not to notice his penetrating gaze. 

"I'll take it under consideration."

A ghost of a touch burned through Jounouchi's jacket, dancing across the small of his back. Then Kaiba turned away, and it was gone. Jounouchi took a deep breath, breathing in the smell of the sea salt and the wet docks, before spinning on his heels to follow.

-x-x-x-

_Four Months Later_

Jounouchi parted ways with Yuugi and Anzu at LAX when the first week of the new year came to a close. While he enjoyed his trip, both the parts that did and didn't include Kaiba, he was so freaking grateful to be home and immersed in the sounds of his mother tongue. 

He and Kaiba continued to chat over LINE, which Jounouchi took as a good sign of...something. Every time his phone chimed, he invited a colony of butterflies to make their home in his guts. Sometimes they went days without exchanging messages and a whole week on one nerve-wracking occasion. Jounouchi kept it casual, friendly, and held himself from being as pushy as he usually was with his other LINE contacts. So what if he sometimes sent a risque selfie or two after a few drinks with Honda and Otogi? And Kaiba even once responded with an image of himself after a day at the office with his tie loosened, cuffs undone, and sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Jounouchi shouldn't have drooled over such an innocuous photo, but damn if it didn't feel like the Kaiba version of sexting.

None of that changed the fact that thousands of kilometers of ocean stood between them, though. 

At his friends' insistence, he went on a total of two blind dates between February and March. The girl that Honda introduced him to had been cool with the fact that Jounouchi was bi. The guy that Mai sent his way seemed less comfortable with the idea. Jounouchi didn't go on a second date, nor did he hop into bed with either of them. 

It seemed the older he got, the less he felt the sting of being single. Or maybe he'd become so accustomed to the sensation that it had dulled with time. It would happen if it happened. Until then, he had the game shop and his friends. He had his sister and Yuugi's mom, who treated him like a second son. And he had Kaiba and their long-distance whatever.

He thought it best not to pine. He'd done enough of that throughout his teenage years.

The sound of the shop's bell interrupted his reverie. He glanced down at the latest shipment of cards and decided he could manage multiple boxes at once. After school started up again, Kazuki had cut back on his hours to devote more time to both his studies and his circles. That often left Jounouchi handling the store alone. It was fine. He was young and healthy enough to manage on his own.

Piling three boxes on top of one another, he hip-checked the storeroom door and shuffled into the storefront. But the force applied had him overshooting the threshold and careening straight for the counter. He managed to pivot at the last second to avoid a direct collision, glancing off the sharp corner with an oomph. That was probably going to leave a bruise.

Probably shouldn't have grabbed so many boxes at once, he thought to himself as the floor rose to greet him. Bodily.

A firm hand caught his shoulder and steadied him before he face-planted in something; the floor, the counter, dealer's choice really. Somehow, his savior also managed to keep the stack of boxes from crashing to the ground. He looked up, and gratitude on his lips shriveled up from shock.

It was Kaiba. Kaiba Seto was standing inside the Turtle Game Shop, something he hadn't done since what? Their first? Second year of high school?

Maybe he had hit his head.

Then Kaiba spoke, obliterating all doubt about whether he was really here. "Are you trying to kill yourself?"

After setting down the boxes, so he didn't further embarrass or injure himself, he gaped at Kaiba and asked, "What are you doing here?"

"I had business at the home office. You did tell me to 'look you up' the next time I was here." Kaiba arched an eyebrow, probably wondering about the state of Jounouchi's long-term memory now.

"Yeah, I didn't think you'd do it," blurted Jounouchi.

"I can leave if I'm not welcome." Something stiffened in Kaiba's expression. He drew himself up straighter.

Jounouchi dove across the counter and grabbed onto his suit jacket before Kaiba could leave. "Wait a sec! C'mon. I didn't mean it like that! You didn't say anything on LINE."

Slowly, Kaiba unwound his fingers from his suit. Jounouchi boosted himself onto the glass case and swung his legs across to join Kaiba on the other side of the register. But Kaiba stopped him, pressing a palm to his stomach and trapping Jounouchi on top of the counter.

"I figured I should return the favor and 'surprise' you." As their eyes met, Kaiba smirked. The uncertain pressure of his hand on Jounouchi betrayed his supposed confidence. 

Jounouchi could sympathize. He still remembered how excited and nervous he felt at Kaiba's doorstep like it happened yesterday. Grateful that he had no other customers and Yuugi's mom was out for the day, he threaded both arms around Kaiba's neck to hold him in place. Then he grinned, joy and laughter bubbling like he'd downed an entire bottle of champagne, hovering a hair's breadth away from Kaiba's lips. "Well, lucky for you, I'm a huge fan of surprises."

**Author's Note:**

> [If you enjoyed this fic and want to share it on tumblr, please consider reblogging this link.](https://alectoperdita.tumblr.com/post/611141974430466048/fanfiction-you-are-a-call-to-motion-chapter-1)


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